A Box of Boxes
by Chaos Terror Destruction
Summary: When James Potter finds a very curious box of boxes sitting atop his bed, he doesn't know what lies in store. Gathering up the required people, he sets out to uncover the mystery of his future son, Harry Potter.
1. A Very Curious Box of Boxes

_**A/N: So. Here I am. With another story. That I will hopefully finish. But probably not for a while. Because the idea that I want to do will take FOREVER. Also. This one is actually beta'd. By my delightful bestest friend that I love dearly, SimpleFlower. I made her make an account. Well, another one. Because she forgot her old password as well as what email it was attached to... ... ... Regardless, since I'm completely obsessed with the "character's read the books" idea, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. So. Here you have it. A completely unoriginal "characters read the books" thing for Harry Potter. Because there's so many. I've actually started on the next chapter, which is more than I can say for some of my stories, so bear with me. School ends in 3 ish months. More like 3 and a half. Closer to 4. Anyway, soon. and then I will have lots of time to do nothing with and then I start college. Which sounds like it gives me more time to do nothing, honestly. Since this is getting long and I'm sure you're not reading it anyway, on with the story!**_

* * *

**Chapter 1: A Very Curious Box of Boxes**

A very curious box had just appeared. Very curious, indeed. It hadn't been there the moment before. James Potter was sure of it. He was content to stare at the box for a full minute before finally giving into the urge to touch it. It was a fairly large box, which he assumed meant that it held many things inside. Opening the box, James saw seven smaller boxes, each with a sealed envelope stuck to it. The largest envelope was on top, not stuck to any box. It had one word on it. _James_

His curiosity piqued, James reached for the envelope bearing his name. Glancing around to see if anyone was there, he carefully opened the letter inside.

_James, _

_I'm sorry to say I counted on your relentless curiosity to get this box to you. However, I have sent these to you for a reason—a reason that I cannot tell you. If it must be, it will come to light later. But not now. Not now. _

_Before you open the first box, (They're numbered one through seven) I want you to gather a few people and take them to a place where you can be alone for long periods of time—The Room of Requirement, for example. _

_These people must be there when you open the first box, or it will not open. _

_Now, if you will, go and collect Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape, Regulus Black, and Albus Dumbledore. _

_After you have read the note attached to the first box, you are welcome to get others at your discretion. _

_Sincerely, _

_A Friend_

Curiosity now burning within him, James reached for the first box. It wouldn't open. Huffing, James grabbed the letter, shrunk the box, stuck it in his robes, and went off to find the required people.

Sirius and Remus were fairly easy to find. They were in the Gryffindor common room doing homework, of all things. Or rather, Remus was doing homework and Sirius was flicking little bits of parchment at him.

"Hey, guys." James said when he reached the table they were "working" at, "So, I can't tell you what it is, because I don't know myself, but I need you to meet me in the Room of Requirement in 20 minutes."

Just a bit perplexed, Remus stared at James questioningly, "You want us to what, now?" James shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess we'll find out together. Now, I'm off to find my Lily flower." James smirked and turned, but then abruptly stopped and turned back around. "Hey Sirius, could you tell your brother to be there too? Ask him to bring Snivellus." James grimaced at the thought of having to be in the same room as the greasy git.

"My brother? I guess." Sirius looked at James incredulously then his face contorted into a look of disgust as the second request hit him. "But why Snivellus? Why do we need _him_ there?"

James waved it off as he left the room, glancing over his shoulder to say, "Just something I was told to do. 20 minutes, guys." James jumped out of the portrait hole and ran along to find Lily. He looked first in the library, expecting to find her there. He searched the entire library, horrifying as the thought was, before he gave up and looked around for someone who might possibly know where she was.

Spotting Frank Longbottom at one of the tables looking over a couple of books, James jogged over to the table startling Frank out of his studying.

"Hey, have you seen Lily anywhere?" James asked when Frank looked up at him questioningly.

"Hey, James." Frank said in greeting, "She was here just 20 minutes ago, got called to Dumbledore's office."

_Dumbledore's office_, James thought, _Good, I can kill two birds with one stone_. "Thanks, Frank. I'll see you later." With that he ran off towards Dumbledore's office.

As he reached the statue guarding the winding staircase up to the Headmaster's office, James realized that he didn't know the password. However, as the password was unfailingly the name of the eccentric Headmaster's favorite sweet of the week, James tried the first candy that popped into his head.

"Chocolate Frogs." The statue graciously turned and allowed James to ascend the staircase. He knocked on the door at the top, waiting a second before opening it himself.

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sat behind his relatively modest desk talking to Lily Evans. Dumbledore looked up and Lily turned around in her chair at the foot of the desk as James opened the door.

James stood by the door, slightly embarrassed at walking in on what seemed to be an important meeting. "I hope I haven't interrupted anything," he said, "But I needed to talk to the both of you."

Dumbledore smiled and gestured for James to sit in the chair next to Lily. "Oh, not at all, James. Ms. Evans and I were just finishing up. What would you like to speak with us about?"

James fidgeted where he sat, "I can't tell you yet. I'd rather tell everyone at once, if you understand, to keep from having to repeat it multiple times. However, what I do need is for both of you to meet me in the seventh floor corridor by that tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy in…" He checked the time on his watch, only ten minutes to go. "Ten minutes. Could you do that?" James asked in a rush.

Dumbledore's brow furrowed for a second, gone before James noticed. "Of course." Dumbledore said, "I would love to join you. Ms. Evans?" Dumbledore looked to Lily questioningly.

Lily sighed, "I suppose I can entertain whatever mad idea you lot have going on now. Ten minutes, you say?" She asked James. At his nod, she continued. "Well, then we haven't got much time. We should be going. Headmaster," She directed to Dumbledore, "We'll continue our discussion later, if that's alright with you?"

"Oh child, everything will be fine. Don't you fret." Dumbledore said with a knowing twinkle in his eye. With that he stood and directed the two younger occupants out of his office, "Let's be off, shall we?"

The walk up the moving staircases to the seventh floor was uneventful and relatively silent. James tried to make conversation with Lily, but ultimately gave up after she steadfastly ignored him. When they arrived at the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy, James paced back and forth three times and let out a breath of relief when, upon opening the door that appeared, he found the others he had asked Sirius to gather.

He wasn't sure what exactly Remus had asked the Room for, but it seemed to be set up to suit their needs. It looked quite like the Gryffindor common room, at least in the sense that it was cozy and had a fireplace – the coloring was all different. Instead of the red and gold that James was used it, it was a neutral light brown color, a little darker than tan. There were a couple of couches set up around a coffee table. Remus and Sirius were occupying one of the couches, leaving a seat open between them, while Severus and Regulus seemed quite uncomfortable to even be in the same room as the Gryffindors as they sat on the opposing couch.

The tension in the air was quite palpable and James wondered what the four had been discussing prior to their arrival or if they had been talking at all. Motioning Dumbledore and Lily to follow, he stepped inside the room and sat down in between Sirius and Remus. Lily glanced at the two Slytherins and sat down on an armchair in between the two groups of people, her brow furrowed in confusion. Dumbledore seemed to take the sight of a rather odd collection of people rather well, as he showed no outward change in facial expression and sat down on a loveseat facing opposite of Lily.

"Well James," Dumbledore began, "Have you gathered everyone you were looking for?" James pulled out the letter that he had found and quickly checked the list of names against the people that were present.

"Uh, yes." James said. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've gathered you all here."

"I'm just wondering why you invited _Slytherins_." Sirius sneered.

"Oh, quiet, Black. You're the one who told us to come here." Severus sneered right back, a glare firmly set upon his brow.

Sirius pulled a face and sunk lower on the couch, but otherwise didn't offer any more comment.

"Well, there's a reason for that." At the touch of James' wand the box of boxes expanded to its normal size and James placed it on the table. "I found this box on my bed. As you can see, there are other boxes inside, but I don't know what's in them. This letter that came with the box says that none of them would open until everyone was here. It doesn't say what's in them, though. It says, very specifically, that all of you are to be here to open it and only you guys. Supposedly, we can bring in more people after the first letter is read. They're here because I really want to know what's in the boxes."

James looked expectantly at the people sitting around him. "So, who wants to read the first letter?"

After a beat of silence, Lily raised her hand. "I'll read it." She reached into the box and pulled out the letter with a "1" on it.

_To all those gathered here (And it should be the required people for this envelope to open),_

_The future is a dark place, the outlook is bleak. Many people have died and we wanted to change that. In our search for a solution, we have looked to the past. _

_These seven boxes contain the records of what happened. Written as a novel for easy reading, they show the perspective of the hero of this conflict: The Second Wizarding War. It follows his life from his first year at Hogwarts through the end of the war. His name is Harry Potter._

_And yes, James, he is related to you. He is your son. _

_I only ask that you read all seven books in quick succession. Time flows differently inside the Room than it does on the outside __**(A/N: Totally just made that up.)**__ and you will not be missed for very long. _

_You may invite others to come read with you and they may leave at their leisure, but you seven must stay for the entire time that the books are being read. While the Room cannot give you food, I'm sure some of the house elves would be willing to oblige you. All you have to do is ask. _

_What you do with the information that you will receive is up to you, but we hope that it will have a positive effect on the future._

_The first book is entitled _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone._ It details Harry's first year at Hogwarts and his introduction to his part in the war. _

_A Friend. I guess there are some other people here too. _

_PS: The second envelop will open after the first book is done._

The ensuing silence that followed was hard to break, but Sirius managed it anyway.

"We have to read?" He asked incredulously, "You brought us here to _read_?"

James nodded, a look akin to horror on his face. "It would seem so."

Lily rolled her eyes, "You two are idiots. Reading is not that bad. The first book doesn't even look very long. I'm sure that you can handle it."

She opened the small cardboard box labeled as the first and pulled out the book nestled inside. "_Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_," She read, "Who wants to read first? Reading it out loud seems the easiest way to go about this."

When no one volunteered, Lily huffed and settled down start herself. "I guess I'll do it. Okay. The first chapter, **The Boy Who Lived**."

* * *

_**A/N: So. if you've read anything else by me, you will know that I am completely obsessed with line breaks. They make me giggle every time. I shout "LINE BREAK!" Honestly, it happens. At any rate. I want your feedback. Or if you think a character is SUPER OOC. And I don't think that Reg is. Because honestly, no one's ever actually introduced to the character enough to learn his personality. I have to make it up from what I know he's done. And that's hard. I know he doesn't talk in this one... ... ... ANYWAY. Not important. Thanks again to my bestest friend SimpleFlower. Cause she's awesome. And sometimes thinks about studying for that Bio test we have in 6 hours. That is technically a retake, cause we skipped class to not take it the first time... ... ... :D**_


	2. The Boy Who Lived

**_UPDATE A/N: So. I think I fixed the formatting issues. I don't know. I tried. I reuploaded the file, since FFnet fixed their issue they had. Anyway._**

**_A/N: So. Apparently, FFnet is having an issue with uploading. It kept telling me that my file was incompatible. So. If this ends up looking really wonky it's because I had to copy and paste the entire freaking thing. So. Here's the second chapter. And I have a question that I would like to ask at the end. Because I want to ask after the chapter and not before. Also. This is nigh on 6k words. Which is the longest thing I've written ever. Even if over 50% isn't actually mine. Anyway. You know the drill, except for this added bonus of anything in bold and not italicized as a A/N is from the books directly. Hence the "reading the books" thing. Once again beta'd by SimpleFlower. My bestest friend ever._**

* * *

"**The Boy Who Lived,**" Lily began, "**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**"

"What in the world is that supposed to mean?" Sirius exclaimed, indignant.

Lily ignored him and continued on.

"**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**"

"Magic fits into 'nonsense,' doesn't it?" Remus asked, speaking for the first time.

"Most likely," Lily shrugged, then frowned, "They sound like my sister. Isn't she dating someone named Dursley?"

"Yes." Severus said quietly from the designated 'Slytherin couch,' startling everyone. "He lives down the road from your house."

James looked at Severus with a half-confused, half-disgusted expression. "And just how would _you_ know that?" He asked incredulously.

Severus shifted uncomfortably, not used to being in the spotlight. Thankfully, Lily saved him from having to answer.

"He lives in the neighborhood next to mine, Potter." Lily shifted uncomfortably – after what happened when they were in fifth year, she liked to pretend that Severus didn't exist; or at least that she didn't have to speak to or about him.

James glared, not liking that his rival had an advantage with Lily on him. Severus just sneered back.

Not seeing any more comments surfacing, Lily continued."**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunning's, which made drills.**"

"Drills?" Sirius asked. "What in the name of Merlin is a _drill_?"

"Muggle device." Dumbledore answered, startling everyone that had forgotten his presence. "They really are quite fascinating, those Muggles."

"**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache.**"

"Attractive." James snorted.

"**Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.**"

Lily paused, her face bemused. "That sounds like Tuney, alright." From his seat next to Regulus, Severus snorted, amused.

"**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**"

"Yeah, right." Sirius murmured, pretending not to listen.

"**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs.****Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.**"

Lily stopped here, overwhelmed by the outburst of emotion coming from all sides.

"I am not good-for-nothing." James grumbled, but then the first part seemed to catch up with him. "Lily, if this 'Mrs. Dursley' is your sister, and her sister is 'Mrs. Potter' then wouldn't that make _you_ 'Mrs. Potter'?"

Lily froze, trying frantically to come up with some other solution that didn't involve her being married to _James Potter_. Unable to come up with anything, she resolutely turned back to the book.

"**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**"

"Hey!" James exclaimed, "My son is perfectly fine."

Lily steadfastly continued to ignore him, still trying to get the image of her marrying James out of her head.

"**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**"

"I'm not sure one can happily do that." Remus muttered good-naturedly.

"**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**"

"Spooky." Sirius snorted.

"**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs.****Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.****It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar - a cat reading a map.**"

James and Sirius shared a look, both smirking.

"**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive - no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.****But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.**"

Lily huffed. "Idiots. Standing out where Muggles can see you."

"**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him!**"

James burst out laughing. "Oh yes, it must be terrible to see people dressed how they're used to."

"I do wonder what has people so excited." Dumbledore pondered.

"**But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something...****yes, that would be it.**"

"Obviously that's the only answer." Remus chuckled.

"**The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr.****Dursley arrived in the Grunning's parking lot, his mind back on drills.**"

"Because we can't have him thinking about anything else." James announced, deadpan.

"Definitely not." Sirius added.

"**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning.**"

"Oh, the horror!" Sirius yelled dramatically, falling out of his seat.

Lily glared at the interruption. "You know, I'd rather like to finish this chapter sometime this century, if that's alright with you."

"Oh, it's not." Sirius answered her, his face serious.

Lily rolled her eyes, and continued on.

"**He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.**"

"That sounds like a delightful morning." Regulus smirked, startling everyone who forgot he was even there. His brow then furrowed, "What's a phone?"

"Communication device." Lily answered before anyone else could open their mouth and then hurried forward.

"**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery. He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch was whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.****"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their son, Harry" Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**"

"I wonder what's happened to us." James said to Lily, who grimaced at the reminder of her future husband.

"**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy.**"

"Like I'd let you near any son of mine." Lily interrupted herself, "I've met that man, rather nasty piece of work."

"**It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her - if he'd had a sister like that... but all the same, those people in cloaks...**"

"A sister like _that_." Severus muttered to Regulus. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Lily shrugged, overhearing his comment. "I can't decide if I want to be insulted or not."

"**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon**"

"NO!" Sirius wailed in anguish.

"Shut up, Black." Lily said as she swatted him upside his head.

"**and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!" And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**"

Lily paused here. She looked up to the astonished faces around her. "Gone? Really?"

"It is what it says, dear." Dumbledore smiled kindly.

She shook herself out of her shock and continued on.

"**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home,****he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**"

"How can you not _approve_ of imagination?" Remus asked, puzzled. "It's not really something that you can _approve_ of."

"**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw - and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**"

James smirked at Sirius, and then whispered in his ear, "5 galleons says it's her."

Sirius shrugged, "You're on." And they shook on it.

"**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**"

"Which, knowing Petunia, is probably for the best." Severus shrugged.

"**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!").**"

"Oh how _precious_." Regulus sneered.

"**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news: "And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin.****"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?" **

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight." Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain. Owls flying by daylight. Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place.**"

"Which was _stupid_ of them." Lily muttered.

"**And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...****Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you." As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**"

Regulus snorted, "Rude."

"**"No," she said sharply. "Why?" **

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..." **

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.****"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you know... her crowd." Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son - he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?" **

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.****"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**"

"Hey! It's a perfectly good name." James shouted.

"That's not what you said yesterday when we were discussing horrid names." Remus raised an eyebrow.

James shifted uncomfortably, "Shut up. I've changed my mind."

"**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree." He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed.****While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there.**"

"That's creepy." Regulus said and Sirius smirked in amusement.

"**It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.****Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of - well, he didn't think he could bear it.****The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr.****Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs.****Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them...****How very wrong he was.**"

"Dun. Dun. DUN!" Sirius shouted and was slapped upside the head for his troubles.

"**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.****A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**"

"The cat does not approve." Regulus smirked.

"**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots.**"

"And enter Dumbledore." Remus smiled, "Hey Professor, what do you think you're doing there?"

Dumbledore shrugged, but his eyes twinkled, showing he knew something.

"**His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**"

"Called it." Remus smirked.

"**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known." **

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**"

"Dude." Sirius whispered in awe. "That's awesome. I want one."

"**He clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.****"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall." He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**"

"Yes!" James said, then opened his hand toward Sirius who grumbled but put five galleons into the waiting palm.

"**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.****"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly." **

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.****"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here." **

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**"

"What's she so angry about?" Remus asked, "With You-Know-Who gone, you'd think she'd be happy."

"**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently.****"You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense." **

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years." **

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors." She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore." **

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?" **

**"A what?" **

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -" **

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name. All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**"

The two Slytherins in the room flinched rather violently.

"**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**"

Once again, Severus and Regulus flinched, this time just slightly less violently.

"**"I know you haven't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**"

"Is this going to happen the entire book?" Severus said frustrated. "Can we please not say it every time it comes up?"

"**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have." **

**"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."**"

"I guess so." Severus grumbled, since no one had answered his question.

"**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs." **

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying. About why he's disappeared. About what finally stopped him." It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.****"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead."**"

Lily stopped there, aghast at the future.

James blinked, "So what you're saying is that I do end up marrying Lily. And then we die."

At Lily's hesitant nod, he continued. "Well, that's depressing."

Lily glared at him before continuing, her voice rather shaky.

'**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.****"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it...****Oh, Albus..." Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder.**"

Sirius snorted, trying to ease the tension. "Awkward."

"**"I know... I know..." he said heavily.****Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all.****They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry.**"

Before James could interrupt, Lily surged on.

"**But - he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone."****Dumbledore nodded glumly.**"

"Huh." James said, looking shocked. "My kid's awesome."

Lily rolled her eyes but allowed herself a small smile.

"**"It's - it's true." faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy.****It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive." **

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know." **

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch.****It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge.**"

"Isn't that how all watches are?" Regulus questioned. "Or are they different for the Muggles?" He almost made it past the last word without sneering, but to no avail.

Across the table, Sirius shrugged, just as confused.

"**It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way." **

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places." **

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**"

"What?!" Lily exclaimed. "You can't leave him with _them_. In what world is that a good decision?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "I don't know, it hasn't happened yet." But once again, something in his eye hinted that he knew something they didn't.

"**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here." cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.**"

"See?" James said, gesturing to the book. "She gets it."

"**"Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets.****Harry Potter come and live here!" **

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**"

Lily looked at Dumbledore sternly. "A letter? Really? Just a letter?"

"**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!"**

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk!**"

Lily frowned, "Just how old is he?"

"**Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?" **

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore." She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.****"Hagrid's bringing him." **

**"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this." **

"**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.****"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?" A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky - and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**"

"Dude. Dude. Dude. I want one." Sirius turned to James. "James, I want one for my birthday."

"Psh. Get your own flying motorcycle."

"**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild - long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**"

"Why does Hagrid get one, but I don't?" Sirius pouted.

"Because nobody loves you," Regulus deadpanned.

"**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?" **

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**"

"Hell yeah!" Sirius shouted. "The flying motorcycle is mine! I think it's a sign that you're going to get one for me for my birthday, James."

"**"No problems, were there?" **

**"No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol." Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.****"Is that where -." whispered Professor McGonagall.****"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**"

"At least it's an awesome scar." James shrugged, "Even if it is a curse scar."

"**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.**"

"Really, Professor?" Remus asked. Dumbledore smiled and promised to show them all later.

"**Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with." Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.****"Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.****"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!" **

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"**"

"Thank you for reminding me of my imminent death, Hagrid. Really appreciate it." James said, his expression somewhat downcast.

"**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.****"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." **

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir." Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.****"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.****Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.****"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**"

Lily stopped, then glared at Dumbledore. "Did you just leave my son on the doorstep of my evil sister's house?" At his hesitant nod, she continued, "I can't believe you would do that. That's just irresponsible. He's a baby for Merlin's sake!"

Dumbledore shrugged, not really knowing how to answer that.

"**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs.****Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley... He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!"**"

Lily closed the book, despite only finishing one chapter.

"Well. That was… depressing, to say the least." Regulus said.

Lily shrugged, obviously not really all put together emotionally. "I did find out that I get married to this idiot," she gestured to James. "and after we both die, he gets left on a doorstep. So I suppose that that could be construed as somewhat depressing. If not horrifying. Either one, really."

Regulus shrugged, not all that concerned with Lily.

"So," Remus said after no one else spoke up, "Are we continuing?"

Lily shrugged then put the book on the table in the center.

* * *

_**A/N: So. There's the delightful thing. I do want feedback. If the formatting is super wonky because I had to copy and paste then kindly let me know. Otherwise. Here's my question:**_

_**How would you feel if I skipped almost all of this book. Because I didn't actually like it. And we only read a couple chapters from this. I'm thinking the ones until he gets to Hogwarts and the ones at the end of this book. And then skip most if not all of the second book and then actually read the third one. And then again skip most if not all of the fourth and fifth ones (because face it, those were boring as shit) and then actually do the sixth and seventh. How do you guys feel about that? Because if you want me to take forever to get to the super exciting end of the series, then I will.**_****_**And it'll take FOREVER. Because I'm lazy.**_****_**But otherwise we can skip the boring parts. I put up a poll.**_


End file.
